2025 Legislation
HYDROGEN OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC NOTICE – SB 685
This bill, modeled largely on Washington, addresses unregulated hydrogen blending with natural gas that is currently impacting Southeast Portland residential homes and small businesses. This bill will establish minimum standards for public notice and authorize PUC oversight of safety, health, and alignment with our climate goals. Ideally we are prioritizing hard-to-decarbonize sectors with green hydrogen, not prolonging reliance on fossil gas for home use.
SB685
Relating to hydrogen; declaring an emergency.
Requires a natural gas utility to provide notice to each customer of the utility and the Public Utility Commission if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5 percent.
Requires a natural gas utility that has a program for blending hydrogen with natural gas to maintain on the utility’s website information regarding the utility’s program and how a customer may communicate with the utility about the utility’s program.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Chief Sponsor(s): Senators Pham, Golden
Regular Sponsor(s): Senators Campos, Gorsek, Manning Jr., Taylor; Representatives Chotzen, Gamba, Nosse
Advocates: